Nial Watson, Killinchy, Northern Ireland
Nial Watson’s childhood was spent in Africa. From a young age he developed an interest in the environment, particularly plants and animals and their interactions. Nial’s childhood interests turned academic; educated in the UK, his undergraduate degree is in Agricultural Science and his graduate degree is Tropical Animal Production and Health. Following school, Nial worked as a manager on a dairy farm in Ireland and spent several years in Sudan running a rural development project, which included two plant nurseries. This was followed by three years in Zambia as program officer with The Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N.
In 1988 Nial returned to live and farm in Northern Ireland. During this time a love of daffodils grew whilst working alongside the greatly respected hybridizer Sir Frank Harrison of Ballydorn Bulb Farm. Due to Frank’s encouragement, Ringhaddy Daffodils was formed, incorporating Ballydorn Bulb Farm and later Brian Duncan Daffodils. The first crosses were made just before its formation and some seedlings have already achieved recognition with awards such as the American Daffodil Society’s Innovator’s Award and the Royal Horticultural Society’s Ralph B. White Award. In recent years, an interest in autumn flowering and miniature daffodil varieties has developed.
Nial is a member of The Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Daffodil and Tulip Committee and its successor, the RHS Bulb Committee; he is Chairman of the RHS Narcissus Classification and Advisory Committee; and he is a regular contributor to various daffodil publications.
Nial’s first American Daffodil Society convention was in Pittsburgh in 1999. He has attended regularly since.
Nial's Presentation title: Ringhaddy's Daffodils, Nial Watson, owner of Ringhaddy Daffodils in Northern Ireland, will discuss his hybridizing program and share colorful imagery of his current and future exhibition daffodils.
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